Tortorella out as Canucks coach

The Vancouver Canucks fired head coach John Tortorella after just one season, the team announced Thursday.

Assistant coach Mike Sullivan will also relieved of his coaching duties.

“Today we are making an important change in the direction of our team,” Canucks president of hockey operations Trevor Linden said in a statement. “On behalf of the entire organization, we extend our thanks to John, Mike and their families for their commitment to the Canucks and wish them the very best.

"We have a lot of important work to accomplish this offseason as we build our management and coaching staff, improve our roster and connect with our fans. Our general manager search is well underway and we will begin assessing head coaching candidates immediately."

The Canucks finished 36-35-11 this season under Tortorella, who took over for current New York Rangers coach Alain Vigneault.

The move comes less than a month after former president and general manager Mike Gillis was fired and replaced by Linden, the former Canucks forward.

The fiery Tortorella, fired by the New York Rangers at the end of last season, had a tumultuous season in Vancouver, highlighted by being suspended 15 days after trying to enter the Calgary Flames' dressing room to fight the coaching staff on Jan. 18.

Tortorella, who won the Jack Adams Award as the league's top coach for the 2003-04 season as well as a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning that season, is still owed for the remaining four years on the five-year, $10 million contract he signed with Vancouver prior to the season.